History Main / IdiotBall

->'''Obi-Wan:''' Wait a minute. How did this happen? We're smarter than this.\\

[[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now if you excuse me, I'll be spending my vacation in]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} Chernobyl]] [[SelfDemonstratingArticle while all of you tropers look at the many examples of this trope.]]

-->--''Franchise/StarWars [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]''

* VillainBall
* HeroBall

* IdiotPlot
* JerkassBall

* AlcoholInducedIdiocy

* ConflictBall
* BullyingADragon
* HollywoodTactics
* MuggingTheMonster
* FailedASpotCheck
* PingPongNaivete
* ThirdActStupidity
* CutsceneIncompetence
* OutOfCharacterMoment
* StupidityInducingAttack
* LoveMakesYouDumb

Idiot Balls can also deflect a boring InvincibleHero, which is positive for an audience reaction. There is nothing like a "Why on earth did he do that?" to get the fans talking about the show after it's over. However, idiot balls can be ''[[BadWritingIndex really]]'' bad when it's caused by CharacterDerailment (or vice versa).

** OutOfContextEavesDropping

-->--''[[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]''

->'''Obi-Wan:''' Wait a minute. How did this happen? We're smarter than this.
->'''Anakin:''' Apparently not.

->'''Obi-Wan:''' Wait a minute. How did this happen? [[LampshadeHanging We're smarter than this.]]

* OopsIDidItAgain
* ThreeIsCompany

* PoorCommunicationKills

* IdiotBall/RealLife

On the other hand, making stupid mistakes can be the hallmark of CharacterDevelopment if the person recognizes it in the end. Seeing someone discarding the idiot ball can be a rewarding moment when they are TaughtByExperience. However, idiot balls can be ''[[CharacterDerailment really]]'' bad when it's caused by CharacterDerailment (or the other way around).

Idiot Balls can also deflect a boring InvincibleHero, which is positive for an audience reaction. There is nothing like a "Why on earth did he do that?" to get the fans talking about the show after it's over.

On the other hand, making stupid mistakes can be the hallmark of CharacterDevelopment if the person recognizes it in the end. Seeing someone discarding the idiot ball can be a rewarding moment when they are TaughtByExperience.

[[SelfDemonstratingArticle Now if you excuse me, I'll be spending my vacation in]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} Chernobyl]] [[SelfDemonstratingArticle while all of you tropers look at the many examples of this trope.]]

!![[Main/SuperTropeSubtropes include:]]

!!Subtropes include:

See also VillainBall, HeroBall, DistressBall, IdiotPlot, JerkassBall, ForgotAboutHisPowers, AlcoholInducedIdiocy, OopsIDidItAgain, ThreeIsCompany, TooDumbToLive, WhatAnIdiot, ConflictBall, BullyingADragon, HollywoodTactics, MuggingTheMonster, FailedASpotCheck, PingPongNaivete, ThirdActStupidity, CutsceneIncompetence [--*big breath* --], and OutOfCharacterMoment. A StupidityInducingAttack is essentially what happens when a character deliberately throws the Idiot Ball at another character.

This trope is the {{opposite|Tropes}} of SmartBall, and probably not closely related to SanityBall, HappyFunBall, or AdvantageBall. And not even ''remotely'' related to the TimeyWimeyBall.

Compare and contrast HanlonsRazor.
----
!!Examples

A moment where a character's stupidity fuels an episode, or a small plot line. If multiple characters have the Idiot Ball it becomes an IdiotPlot. Temporary (or permanent) GenreBlindness is often a cause of this trope.

Idiot Balls can also deflect a boring InvincibleHero, which is positive for an audience reaction. There is nothing like a "Why on earth did he do that?" to get the fans talking about the show after its over.

This trope is the {{opposite|Tropes}} of SmartBall, and probably not closely related to SanityBall, HappyFunBall or AdvantageBall. And not even ''remotely'' related to the TimeyWimeyBall.

and [[TooDumbToLive death]].]]

Coined by Creator/HankAzaria on ''[[Series/HermansHead Herman's Head]]'': Azaria would ask the writing staff, "Who's carrying the idiot ball this week?" This is generally not a compliment on the writing because the person carrying the idiot ball is often acting {{out of character}}, [[YouKnowWhatYouDid misunderstanding something that could be cleared up]] [[PoorCommunicationKills by asking a single reasonable question]] or performing a simple problem-solving action, but that he [[JustEatGilligan isn't doing solely because the writers don't want him to.]] It's almost as if the character is being willfully stupid or obtuse rather than that being the character's natural default character.

See also VillainBall, HeroBall, DistressBall, IdiotPlot, ForgotAboutHisPowers, AlcoholInducedIdiocy, OopsIDidItAgain, ThreeIsCompany, TooDumbToLive, WhatAnIdiot, ConflictBall, BullyingADragon, HollywoodTactics, MuggingTheMonster, FailedASpotCheck, PingPongNaivete, ThirdActStupidity, CutsceneIncompetence [--*big breath* --], and OutOfCharacterMoment. A StupidityInducingAttack is essentially what happens when a character deliberately throws the Idiot Ball at another character.

* IdiotBall/ProWrestling

Unsurprisingly, this provokes a {{What an Idiot}} response from the audience. However, sometimes, the purpose is to ''help'' the audience. Sometimes, the holder of the idiot ball asks the dumb question to allow a certain amount of exposition to occur, that wouldn't naturally be talked about, but needs to be stated for the audience.